Folding chair



Dec. Z9, 1931. F. J. BUFFINGTON 1,838,213

FOLDING CHAIR Filed 001'.. 25, 1924 ATTORN EYS Patented ec. 29, 1931 NETE STATES FLOYDI J'. B'UFFINGTON, OF OWEGO, NEVI YORK FOLDING CHAIR Application led October 25, 1924. Serial No. 745,776.

rihis invention relates to folding chairs and has tor some of its objects to provide folding chairs which are comparatively sims ple in construction, easy te operate, of strong construction, compact when folded, and comparatively inexpensive. Other objects and advantages will appear as the invention is hereinafter disclosed.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate i what l now consider preferred forms of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a folded chair.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the seat partly open, i. e., partly extended.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the chair in open or extended and occupant-supporting position.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation ot the chair shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a planview ot' the chair shown in Fig. 3, the board 50 and certain links being omitted in this Fig. 5 for clarity in illustration.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but partly broken away and showing a dierent form of back rest and seat.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, it'will be seen that the chair there illustrated comprises a main fra-me 10 which may be constructed of a single straight strip of oalr or other wood bent by any well known method, such as steaming, to form a U-shaped member of which the U- bend 13 constitutes a back rest, or a part ot a baclr rest, 'for a person sitting upon the chair. The upper portions of the spaced side members of the main 'frame 10 constitute back posts and the lower portions constitute the iront legs ot the chair. To impart rigidity to the main trame 10, the leg or lower portions may be provided with a. cross brace 14 suitably connected, as by means of mortise and tenen joints, at its opposite ends to the legs of the main trame. This brace 14 may also be employed as a 'toot rest by a person seated behind the chair. It will be understood that it the main frame is constructed of bent wood as described, the grain of the wood will run generally in the shape of the U i. e., the grain will extend longitudinally of the L" bend 13 as well as longitudinally or" the legs of the `U. A back-supporting board 50, suitably curved to fit the back oi'an occupant of the chair, is mounted at its opposite ends in slots provided in the upper inner sides of the main iframe 10.

The seat trame 11 may also be constructed ot a single straight strip of wood bent to form a U-shaped member. rlhe inside of the U-shaped seat frame is provided with a groove adapted to receive the edge ot a lia-t member or board 16. The seat frame 11 is pivoted within the main trame 10 so as to be movable from the ocoupant-supporting position, shown in Figs. 3 and 5, to the folded position, shown in Figs. l and 4, and vice versa. This pivotal connection is effected by means of a metallic rod or long bolt 18 which passes through the sides ot the main frame and through the sides of the seat frame. One of the ends of the rod 18 which extends beyond the side of the main trame is screw-threaded to receive a nut 19, and the other end may either be similarly constructed or else provided with a head or cap. It will be noted that the rod 18 forms an additional brace for the main frame. The seat trame 11 is oscillated on the rod 18 and it will be noted that there a. space between each side of the seat trame and the adjacent side of the main frame.

In assembling, dis-assembling, and repairing the chair, the seat 16 may be readily inserted or removed from the seat trame 11 by simply spreading the sides of the latter. The back-rest board may also be easily insei-ted into or removed from the U-shaped main frame 10 by spreading the legs of the latter. It will be understood, of course, that a nut 19 will be unscrewed, and perhaps the rody 18 removed, to permit the sides of the seat frame or of the main frame to be spread apart.

The parts of the chair thus Jfar described are substantially identical to the chairs disclosed and claimed in certain applications of Calvin A. Buttington, including applications bearing Serial Nos. 696,732, and 696,733.

The rear legs of the chair illustrated in the present application are, as in the case of the chair illustrated in application Serial No. 696,732, mounted for pivotal movement on the rod 18. However, in the present case, each rear leg 75 is pivoted on the-rod 18 on the inside of the main frame 10 and between the latter and the seat frame 11. A brace 76 may be provided for the rear legs and connected thereto in the same manner as that in which the brace 1-1 is connected to the legs of the` main frame. Suitable spacing washers 78 are provided on the rod 18 between the main frame, rear legs and seat. The rear legs 75 are preferably notched at '.79 to receive the brace 14 so as to permit the rear legs to be moved within the main fram-e 10 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4l..

In order to limit the opening movement of the rear legs I provide the following structure. A link 20, preferably constructed of a strip of suitable metal is pivotally connected at 21 to the inner side of one of the side members of the frame 10, and provided with a Vslot 23 which receives and slides on a pivot stud 22 on the outer side of the adjacent rear leg. 7 5. This link 20, connected as described, prevents the rear leg structure from moving farther away from the frame 10 than the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5, but permits the rear legs 75 to be folded to the positionshown in Figs. 1, 2, and Ll, in which the link lies between its rear leg and the adjacent side of the main frame 10. Then the chair is occupied, the link 20 is in tension, and not in compressionl or exure, so that vit may be made of comparatively light stock. While but link 2O may be provided I prefer to provide two, as shown in Fig. el. The construction and connection of the other link 20'ifs the same as that above described except that it is: on the other side of the chair.

In order to limit the downward movement of the seat 11, andV for other purposes hereinafter appearing, I provide the following structure. A link 30, similar in construction tothe link or links 20,.is pivoted on the stud 22 but on the inner side of a rear leg 7 5 and is; Slotted at 321 to receive the pin or stud 31 mounted on the seat 11. Preferably, two of such links 30 are provided, one on each of the opposite sides ofthe seat'. It will be noted that the links 30 are in tension when a person seated on the chair and limit the down- Ward movement. of the seat to the position sla-own in Figs. 3Y and' 5.

Assuming that the chair is folded, as shown in. 1 and/l, and that it is. desiredto open the procedurev is as follows. The seat is pulled away from the main frame. When the` pins 31 reach the ends of the' slot-s 32 of thev links 3()` (see Fig.y 2), the links 30 pull the rear; legs 75 out of the main frame 10 until the parts; assume the position shown in. Figs. 3A and 5. Ili-us by moving tlie seat with respect to the main frame 10 from the closed to the open position, the rear legs are automatically moved from closed to open position. rIhe links 2O and their connections limit the rearward movement of the rear legs, and the links 3() and their connections limit the downward movement of the seat, to the relative position shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

To close or fold the chair it is merely necessary to move the seat from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1. During this movement of the seat the upper ends of the links 30 engage the washers 78 between the seat and rear legs, causing the seat and rear legs to move as a unit about the rod 18 during the latter pait of the` movement of the seat. When the seat reaches the position shown in Fig. 1 the rear legs will' have been moved by the seat into the position shown in 1, in which position the rear legsv have engaged the brace 14 and cannot move farther'. It will be noted that all of the parts of the chair lie substantially between bounding front and rear planes of the main frame 10 when the chair is folded..

My invention may be embodied in other forms of chairs. than that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, without departing from the scope of the appended claims. yThus the main frame may be made as shown in Fig. 6 instead of U-shaped. Likewise, the seat may be made as shown in Fig. 6. The parts 110,. 111, 150, 116, 118, 175l of Fig. 6 correspond to the parts 10, 11,. 50, 16, 18', and 75,-respectively, of Figs. 1 to 5, and need no detailed description. l

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the Vbest embodiments thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus disclosed is only illustrative: and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also. while it is designed' toV use the various features and elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted and some of the features of each modification may be embodied in the others without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

What I cla-im is 1. A folding chair comprising in combination, a: main frame having spaced side members whose lower portions constitute legs and whose upper portions constitute back posts, a seat pivoted to said main frame and movable toward and away from said main frame, rear leg structure pivoted to said main frame. and movable toward and away from said main frame, means comprising a link connected to said main frame and rear leg structure for limiting rearward movement of the latter, and means comprising a link connected to said rear leg structure and seat for limiting downward movement of the latter.

2. A folding chair comprising in combination, a main frame having spaced side members whose lower portions constitute legs, and whose upper portions constitute back posts, a seat pivoted to said main frame and movable toward and away from said main frame, rear legs pivoted to said main frame and movable toward and away from said main frame, a pair of links each connected to a corresponding one of said side members and to a corresponding one of said rear legs, for limiting rearward movement of the latter, and a pair of links each connected to a corresponding one of said rear legs and to a corresponding side of said seat for limiting downward movement of said seat.

3. A folding chair comprising in combination, a main frame having spaced side members whose lower portions constitute legs; a seat piif'oted on said main frame; rear legs pivoted to said main frame; tension members connecting said rear legs and main frame for limiting rearward movement of said rear legs with respect to said main frame, and tension members connecting said seat and rear legs for limiting downward movement of said seat.

A folding` chair comprising in combination, a main frame having spaced side members whose lower portions constitute legs; a seat; rear legs; means connecting said seat and rear legs to said main frame for pivotal movement about a common axis; and tension members connected to said seat and rear legs for limiting downward movement of said seat when said rear legs are in their rearmost position.

5, A folding chair comprising in combination. a main frame having spaced side members whose lower portions constitute legs and whose upper portions constitute back posts.l a seat pivoted to said main frame and movable toward and away from said main frame, rear leg structure pivoted to said main frame. and movable toward and away from said main frame. means comprising a sliding link connected to said main frame and rear leg structure for limiting rearward movement of the latter. and means comprising a sliding link connected to said rear leg structure and seat for limiting downward movement of the latter.

(i. A folding chair comprising in combination. a main frame having spaced side members whose lower portions constitute legs; a seat; rear legs; means connecting said seat and rear legs to said main frame for pivotal movement about a common axis the said axis of pivotal movement being intermediate the length of the seat; and tension members connected to said rear legs and to said seat rearwardly of said axis for limiting' downward movement of said seat when said rear legs are in their rearmost position.

7. In a folding chair, a pair of braced apart uprights, a pair of braced apart legs pivoted theretov to fold there between or to swing rearwardly therefrom to support the chair, a seat pivoted` intermediate its ends between the legs to fold within the plane thereof and adapted to fold with the legs within the plane of the uprights, a brace slidably pvotally connecting the seat rearwardly of its pivotal connection with the uprights to the legs below the pivotal connection of the legs with the uprights.

8. In a folding chair7 spaced uprights, pivot means at intermediate parts of the uprights, a seat pivoted on said means and projecting both forwardly and rearwardly therefrom when the chair is open, legs pivoted at their upper ends on the same means to be swung rearwardly of the uprights in opening the chair, tension connections between the legs and the uprights below the pivot means, and tension connections between the legs and the seat rearwardly of said pivot means.

9. In a folding chair, spaced uprights, pivot means at intermediate parts of the uprights, legs pivoted at their upper ends on said means to be swung rearwardly of the uprights in opening the chair, a seat pivoted intermediate its ends upon said means within said legs to fold within the plane thereof, and tension connections between the legs and the rear end of the seat.

10. In a folding chair7 spaced uprights, a pair of legs pivoted between the upright-s to be swung outwardly therefrom to support the uprights, said legs adapted to fold within the plane of the uprights, a seat pivoted between the legs upon the pivotal connection of the legs with the uprights to fold within the legs and to fold with the legs within the uprights, a brace slidably pivotally connecting each leg with the rear end of the seat to fold with the seat within the legs, a second brace slidably pivotally connecting each leg with the adjacent upright to fold outside of the legs within the uprights.

l1. A folding chair comprising in combination, a substantially U-shaped bent-wood main frame having spaced substantially straight side members whose upper portions constitute back posts and whose lower portions constitute legs; a seat having a substantially U-shaped bent-wood frame pivoted on said main frame and movable to a folded position substantially within the bounding front and rear planes of said main frame; rear legs pivoted to said main frame and movable to a folded position substantially within the bounding front and rear planes of the main frame; said seat and rear legs having a common pivotal axis; said seat being independently movable with respect to said rear legs during partial movement of said seat from extended position toward folded position; lost motion connections between said seat and rear legs whereby complete movement vof said seat from extended position to folded position causes movement of said rear legs from extended position to folded position; and sliding strips connecting each side member of said main frame to the rear leg structure for limiting rearward movement of the latter with respect to said main frame.

12. In a folding chair, spaced uprights,

pivot means at intermediate parts of the ups rights, legs pivoted on said means within the uprights to be swung rearwardly therefrom to support the uprights, said legs adapted to fold within the plane of the uprights, a seat pivoted on the same means within the legs to fold within the plane of the legs and to fold with the legs within the plane of the uprights, said seat pivoted intermediate its ends to project both forwardly and rearwardly of fthe uprights, a, brace slidably pivotally connecting each leg with the adjacent upright t0 fold with the legs within the uprightsl a seoond brace slidably pvotally connecting each leg with the rear end of the seat to fold with the seat within the legs.

In testimony whereof I hereto ax my signature..

FLOYD J. BUFFINGTON. 

